


[ Rewrite ] Ambulate In Via Iterum

by Redorangeyellowflickerbeat



Series: Ambulate In Via Iterum [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Genderbending, Major Character Death and Undeath, Time Travel Fix-It, altered timeline, genderbent Edward Elric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-09 02:27:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13471740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redorangeyellowflickerbeat/pseuds/Redorangeyellowflickerbeat
Summary: Eden realized pretty quickly that her immediate agreement to Truth’s terms may have been a bit reckless. For one thing, she was an infant. With the mind of a twenty two year old. This would be interesting, at least. And maybe she'd get to change a few things - perhaps even her mother's death.[ Complete rewrite. Lots of changes. ]





	[ Rewrite ] Ambulate In Via Iterum

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Reverti Ad Praeteritum](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6226465) by [Batsutousai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batsutousai/pseuds/Batsutousai). 



> This is for all of you who encouraged me after I gave up on the old version.

Amestris had changed quite drastically within the last few years. The new  Führer came with an official parliament of elected officials with real legislative power. The rebuilding of Ishval came with its own set of problems of course, but even that had been completed. Things were better now, and, well, Eden was glad for it. She’d been there since before the elections were held, and now she was turning her fame as the Fullmetal Alchemist into fame as a reputable researcher and instructor of alchemical processes and techniques. The added fame from being the Führer’s wife didn’t hurt matters, of course.

“Ma’am, are you ready?” the sound of her bodyguard’s voice broke through her thoughts, and she glanced up to look at him. Her bodyguard was a relatively serious (read: boring) guy, but Eden could appreciate his hardworking nature, even if it did prevent her from doing anything actually fun with her time.

“Yeah. Thanks, Johnson,” Eden stood to her feet, picking up her coat. She rarely wore her old outfit, but this was the one rare opportunity that she’d don the scarlet coat once more to inspire the room full of students she was going to speak to. The class was packed with students, all of them turning their gazes to her as she entered the room. She gave her signature smirk as she walked up to the podium, gaze sweeping over the room. Starstruck eyes met hers, only adding to the smug smirk on her face.

“Raise your hand if you’re an alchemist.” She said as she got up to the podium, looking over them all. Hands lifted into the air all across the room. “Okay, hands down. How many of you are in this college to learn chemistry?” Most of the same, plus the addition of some non-alchemists. “How many of you started alchemy when you were older - after what happened a few years back?” everyone in the room knew she meant the Promised Day. Hands went up across the room, and she nodded to herself, expecting this. “Who wants to join the military when you graduate?” the hands hadn’t even been able to rise before someone from near the door made a sudden move. She only saw the flash of a gun going off before the screams and a loud bang filled her ears before the pain set in just to the left of center of her ribcage.

“Mrs. Mustang!” she heard someone shout, before a hand was underneath her head, a hand pressed forcefully against the wound, blood soaking through her clothes without any sign of stopping. She was fading, and fast. Her vision wavered, turning black at the edges before she fell limp, the stuttered breaths of her trying to force air into her lungs stilling.

Eden opened her eyes to an endless white expanse.  _ Where… Where am I? _

“You know exactly where you are, Alchemist.” A voice spoke, a gasp of surprise slipping from her mouth as she turned to face the faceless white figure behind her. She hadn’t wanted to believe it. How could it even be possible, her gate was… “Gone, yes. But you’re dead so all of the things I took from you - Gate included - defaulted back to you.”

“Oh.” That was the only thing to be said, as Eden slowly sank to her knees, breaths suddenly becoming quite short and harsh.  _ You’re dead. Dead, dead, dead. _ The words echoed in her mind, as the breaths became more and more frequent and rushed as she started to hyperventilate, eyes watering up as she doubled over, hand pressed over her mouth. 

“Will you calm down!? Don’t you remember being shot? I’m sure they do!” she looked up in confusion, still wheezing, not sure what ‘they’ the being was referring to. “They’re probably tired of your blubbering already! Honestly, Alchemist, you can have a panic attack when I’m done.” She could almost see his non-existent eyes rolling.

“What do you want then? Am I just… stuck here forever?” She’d rather die again than be stuck with Truth for an eternity.

“Thanks, blondie. No, you aren’t. Well, usually you would be, but I don’t want to deal with you for an eternity. So, I’m going to offer you one last… deal, so to speak.” Truth tilted their head, waiting for Eden’s response.

“What’s the deal?” Eden used her sleeves to wipe away the tears on her face.

“I’ll let you be… reborn, so to speak. In return, if you die again, your soul is  _ mine _ .” Truth gave a smirk.

“I’ll start over? Completely?” at the nod, she nodded. “Deal.” she held out her hand, which he took. Instead of shaking it, though, he yanked her, before shoving her through a gate that had just formed behind him.

Immediately, Eden realized she probably should have done a bit more bargaining before she took Truth’s deal. She would be an infant with the mind of a twenty-two year old. That would be… less than pleasant to adjust to. When she opened her eyes again, the room was far too bright, and immediately she began crying loudly, closing them again. Apparently, that would not be a response she could prevent.

Yet, just as soon as she began crying, she was passed to someone who immediately soothed her.  _ Mom. _ Her mother’s hand gently rubbed up and down her back, laying her down against her chest to let her listen to the soft beat of her heart. She dared to open her eyes again, and this time the light was more bearable as she looked up at Trisha. Man, she looked like a mess. Though she supposed that wasn’t a surprise. 

    When Trisha met her eyes, she smiled at Eden. “Hi, baby girl… I’m your Mommy.” she said softly, before looking up and to the side. Eden was then gently turned to face a figure she would have been happier to ignore. The golden eyes of Van Hohenheim met hers, and even though now she  _ wanted _ to cry to make him miserable, all she did was give a coo.  _ Excuse me, body, I am supposed to be in control of you! _ “That’s your Daddy.” Trisha smiled again, and Eden decided maybe she could tolerate Van to make her mother happy - but she wasn’t going to let him leave again.

It took all of three years for Eden to get a bit more of a full grip on her self control, just in time for Alphonse to be born. She was carried into the room by Van, and she grinned when she saw him. “Alphonse!” she said happily, making Trisha and Van - who had yet to agree on a name for their son - look at each other before shrugging. Alphonse was a good compromise, and a good name.

That year she started to do something that her parents very quickly noticed wasn’t normal - instead of drawing like normal children, she doodled perfectly usable transmutation circles. She was doing this one day while Alphonse was napping, when she overheard a conversation in the other room.

“I told you, Van, I don’t want you teaching her alchemy yet! She’s too young.” Trisha didn’t sound happy with her father, and she frowned. He hadn’t tried to teach her anything, she was trying to get these new hands to be stable in drawing the circles.

“I swear, I didn’t teach her anything. She’s always been a smart girl, it’s like she picked it up on her own.” Van was, expectedly, calm with an undertone of concern.

“You don’t just ‘pick up’ alchemy, Van. We both know that. Stop teaching her until she’s older.” Trisha wasn’t believing him, and she could almost hear the nod that came with the sigh she heard from Van. She looked down at her paper, balling it up just before Trisha came around the corner into the room. She started drawing something closer to a normal child’s drawing, not wanting to cause trouble between them. She glanced up when Trisha sat rather heavily in a chair, concern filling her when she saw how pale Trisha was, and how she was holding her chest and breathing heavily.  _ She’s already starting to get sick…? How long had she been hiding it last time? _

If Trisha was getting sick, then it was time to do what she’d been planning - tell Van her secret so he would stay and maybe be able to save her. She ran out of the room, and when she opened the door to her parents room, she froze. Van was packing. “What are you doing?” she asked softly, hands stopping on the door.

    “I have to go out of town for a little while, Eden,” Van said carefully, looking down at her as her calm face turned into a scowl with a bit of pain in those eyes that he didn't quite understand.

    “Liar,” Eden spat, as she moved to dump out his half-packed suitcase. “You’re running away, like you did last time.” She tossed the case onto the floor, the items thrown out in a large mess.

    “Last time…?” Hohenheim looked down at her, unsure.

    “I'm living life for a second time. I died last time, and I guess my soul didn't die quietly. I made a deal with Truth to send my soul - me - back in time and start over.” Eden leveled her gaze at him, looking oh so mature for a five year old, and spoke again, “If you leave, Mom will die. No ‘if’s ‘and’s or ‘but’s about it. So stay. If not for me and Al than for her.”

    Van hesitated, but only for a moment. Finally, he nodded, though still very stunned. “Okay. I won't go.”

    Eden smiled, “Good. Now I'll help you clean this stuff up.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love it if you'd review!


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